Yoga Moves for a Pick-Me-Up

For runners, Yoga can be the best post-race activity to get your body back to normal.

Put down the coffee and forget the power nap. These poses will get you more energy Studies show that some yoga poses reduce fatigue and adjust the hormone cortisol—too little of which can zap your energy. "This sequence engages your core and energizes your system from the inside out," says Women's Health yoga expert Tara Stiles. The poses also require balance, which sharpens your focus, as well as lots of deep breaths, which increase your oxygen intake to help you feel more alert. Do each of these moves in order, holding the poses for 10 deep breaths. Repeat the sequence on the other side, and continue alternating until you've done the routine three times on each side.

You may be swapping your running shorts for leggings and zipping up your windbreaker before heading out for a run these days, but just because you’re not sweating as much doesn’t mean you should skimp on hydration.

Staying hydrated, even in the winter, is important for getting the most out of your run. In a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, a group of 14 competitive runners were asked to complete three self-paced 4K laps, resting four minutes between each lap. They performed this same run in warm conditions on two different occasions.

For one of the trials, they were asked to restrict their fluid intake for 22 hours beforehand and were not allowed to drink during the run. Before the other trial, they arrived well hydrated and were given water during each rest break.

Researchers monitored their heart rates, gastrointestinal temperatures, race time, and perceived exertion during both trials. When running while properly hydrated, the runners had lower core body temperatures, safer heart rates, and they finished significantly faster.

So slurp some H2O for an easier, faster, healthier run.

————————————————————————————–

Imagine taking up running at the spry young age of 89. At a time when most people have already crossed that final finish line, Fauja Singh was just getting started. Now, more than a decade later, he hasn’t stopped. After setting a number of world records in shorter distances, Mr. Singh brought out his A-game last weekend and smashed the world record as the oldest marathon runner. He’s 100. From the looks of things, he has no intentions of slowing down any time soon. Endurance never sleeps… Keep going, Karno